Blacksky makes its Gen-3 satellites at the company’s manufacturing facility in Tukwila, Washington. Credit: BlackSky

WASHINGTON — The Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded BlackSky a contract worth up to $99 million to develop a large optical imaging payload intended for future space-based intelligence systems.

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Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...